A brittle backline cost the Reds the Premier League title last season, and history could repeat itself unless reinforcements arrive this month
With their side on track to beat Liverpool 1-0 for the second time this season thanks to Chris Wood's early goal, Nottingham Forest's joyous supporters couldn't resist the opportunity to take a shot at the opposition manager. As well as performing their own hilarious take on 'Zombie' by The Cranberries, the home crowd also sang with glee: "It's happening again, it's happening again, Arne Slot, it's happening again!"
In the end, the Forest fans were grateful for a point against the Premier League leaders, as Slot issued the perfect response to the taunts by making a double substitution that immediately drew Liverpool level midway through the second half, with Diogo Jota heading in Kostas Tsimikas' corner. From that moment on, the visitors dominated and would have won the game had it not been for some sensational saves from Matz Sels and stirring last-ditch defending from Nikola Milenkovic & Co.
Indeed, while Liverpool's forwards were left lamenting missed opportunities at the full-time whistle, the difference in defending was the real reason the game ended in a draw. Whereas a wonderfully well-organised Forest backline managed to restrict the Reds to one goal, their Liverpool counterparts once again conceded first – and far too easily.
It happened an awful lot under Jurgen Klopp last season, and it's now happening again under his successor.
Getty ImagesHistory repeating itself?
When Liverpool last visited Nottingham on March 2, Darwin Nunez nodded in a 99th-minute winner that sent Klopp's men four points clear at the top of the Premier League. At the time, it was unthinkable that the Reds would end up finishing a distant third in the table.
Fatigue was the major factor in Liverpool running out of steam down the home straight, as injuries eventually took their toll on an over-achieving squad. However, their brittle backline was also brutally exposed during the business end of the 2023-24 season. Liverpool didn't manage another clean sheet after their City Ground shutout until the final day of the campaign, against Wolves – by which time their title challenge had long since gone up in smoke.
For all of the excitement surrounding Jarell Quansah's emergence as a legitimate contender to start alongside Virgil van Dijk, which Klopp quipped saved the club millions, the Reds were ultimately left counting the cost of failing to adequately strengthen their defence. There's now a real risk of history repeating itself.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportKonate can't be relied upon
Liverpool didn't just fail to sign a defensive midfielder during the summer, they also inexplicably neglected to bring in a new centre-back (despite being once again linked with a plethora of players). They've been so fortunate that Slot has managed to solve the former problem by transforming Ryan Gravenberch into a stellar No.6, but hope that he could also find an in-house answer to the longstanding problem at the heart of the defence is fading fast.
Ibrahima Konate was fantastic during the opening three months of the season, forming a formidable partnership with Van Dijk after coming into the team at half-time in the opening-day win at Ipswich. However, the Frenchman's form and fitness have once again become causes for concern.
After missing all of December's league games with a knee injury, Konate has been shaky and sluggish since returning to action in the 2-2 draw with Manchester United on January 5, when he appeared to be running in quicksand as he tried – and failed – to cut out the cut-back that led to Amad Diallo's equaliser at Anfield.
Konate looked a liability again at Forest, tellingly taken off after just 65 minutes as Slot moved Gravenberch back into defence – a sign in itself of Liverpool's lack of alternative ball-playing options at the back.
Action needs to be taken, then. And fast. Because Konate clearly can't be relied upon for any significant spell of time.
Getty Images SportTime to replace Robertson
Konate wasn't the only man removed just after the hour mark, with Tsimikas replacing Andy Robertson at left-back – an overdue change that needs to be made before the start of Saturday's must-win match at Brentford.
It's difficult not to feel sorry for the Scot, who, at his peak, was arguably the best player in his position for at least a couple of years, but is now an accident waiting to happen. When he's not getting himself sent off because of a terrible first touch, he's failing to get close enough to wingers or simply slipping at the most inopportune of moments.
There may be an element of misfortune in Robertson's errors, but they're becoming far too frequent and consequential to ignore at this point. If Liverpool don't bring in a left-back before the close of the January transfer window – and they really should – Slot simply has to give Tsimikas a chance to lock down the left-back berth.
The Greek is certainly not a long-term solution. In truth, he probably isn't good enough to be the starting left-back at Liverpool at all – but he's a better option than a slowing and clearly confidence-sapped Robertson right now.
Getty Images SportAlisson's shocking stats
Goalkeepers have a longer shelf-life than left-backs, but there are also growing concerns that time – or perhaps persistent injury issues – may also be starting to catch up with Alisson Becker.
When Caoimhin Kelleher gifted Newcastle a 3-3 draw at St. James' Park on December 4 by misjudging a late cross, it was felt that Alisson's return to full fitness couldn't have come at a better moment. The expectancy was that the Brazilian would help restore order to a defensive unit that was starting to creak – that simply hasn't been the case, though. If anything, Alisson has only added to the mounting sense of uncertainty.
It shouldn't be forgotten that Kelleher had been excellent up until his error on Tyneside and Liverpool wouldn't have even been in a position to win that particular game had it not been for the Irishman's earlier heroics in goal. Kelleher is by no means as comfortable on the ball as Alisson, but he's looked like the better shot-stopper this season. Despite playing two fewer games than Alisson in all competitions, he's kept more clean sheets (7-6) and made more saves (44-33). Kelleher also boasts the superior save percentage (79 to 71) – and Alisson's is only getting worse. He's faced 16 shots on target since coming back into the side – but only managed to keep out seven of them.
It's hardly surprising, then, that after seeing the Brazil international beaten by relatively weak efforts from Amad and Wood in the last two games, many Liverpool fans are wondering if Alisson is no longer as mobile and reactive as he was at his peak – before the injuries started to arrive with alarming regularity.
At the very least, it's now easy to understand why Liverpool moved so quickly to wrap up a deal for the highly rated Georgia international Giorgi Mamardashvili, who will join from Valencia this summer.
